Thousands of New York Knicks fans are preparing to skip work on Thursday to attend the team’s championship parade along the Canyon of Heroes, marking the franchise’s first NBA title in 53 years. As excitement builds ahead of the citywide celebration, many supporters are devising various strategies to secure time off, including calling in sick or taking mental health days.

Kenny Rosa, a television studio technician, said he plans to feign illness in the days leading up to the parade. “I’m gonna start coughing on Wednesday, get the next fever,” he said, noting that he intends to call out sick immediately after clocking out. Similarly, Sam Suarez, an employee at the Yale Club, described his absence as a mental health day. “It is a mental health day, and you got sick days, and you just call in and say, ‘Hey, listen. I gotta go,’” Suarez explained.

Others traveling from outside the region have also taken time off to join the festivities. A New Jersey native currently working in Seattle, identified only as Justin, said he informed his employer that he was unwell and would return when feeling better, opting to prioritize attending the parade.

The event is anticipated to draw massive crowds, with New York Mayor Mamdani suggesting the celebration could be the largest parade in the city’s history. Fans are eager to witness the tribute to the Knicks’ championship victory, a milestone ending decades of disappointment for the team’s supporters.

Longtime fan David Dweck acknowledged the risks involved in missing work but emphasized the importance of the occasion. “Everyone knows we’re calling out of work and it is what it is,” he said. “I’m saying that I’m coming to the parade. I love my Knicks and I will suffer the consequences a little later.”

As the parade approaches, the city and its residents are preparing for a day of jubilation, underscoring the depth of local pride and the historic nature of the Knicks’ triumph.